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Justice News

Oregon Woman Charged with Embezzling Approximately $300,000 from a Tribal Organization in Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska – Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that an Oregon woman has been charged with four counts of embezzlement.

Delia Commander, 63, of Oregon, is charged in a four-count indictment with embezzling approximately $300,000 from the Skagway Traditional Council, which is a federally recognized tribal organization.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward, who presented the case against Delia Commander to the grand jury, from at least 2010 to 2014, the defendant embezzled approximately $300,000 from the Skagway Traditional Council. During that time, Commander was the Tribal Administrator. Commander embezzled the money by using the tribal credit card to make unauthorized cash advances at casinos and other locations, and by making unauthorized purchases with tribal funds. The purchases included paying for personal travel, online university courses, personal vehicle maintenance, and personal shopping, among other things.

The law provides for a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine or both. Under federal sentencing statutes, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Department of Interior Office of Inspector General, assisted by the FBI, conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in the case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.